In processing machines for cable, wires or similar elongate objects, it must be ensured by reliable identification of the objects that the type of processing, the settings of the machine and their parameters are tuned to the respective object and the requirements defined by the user. To this end measuring systems are preferably arranged in front of or at the input of the processing machine, which should enable a reliable identification of the elongate object. These comprise a plurality of sensor arrangements since the reliability of the identification increases with the number of different measurement principles (because, for example, cable having the same outside diameter and the same colour can have different internal conducting configurations or cable having a different structure—fine braid, braid, wire—with a different copper cross-section can have the same electromagnetic characteristics).
DE10219848A1 discloses a contactless centricity and diameter measuring system comprising an optical measuring device for determining the outside diameter and the position of an elongate object in an optical measurement plane arranged perpendicular and transversely to the central axis of a measuring device. The object comprises a conductor and a sheath which insulates this, wherein the position of the conductor in an inductive measurement plane is determined by means of an inductive measuring coil device, which measurement plane is also arranged perpendicular and transverse to the central axis of the measuring device. The position of the object determined by the optical measuring device is related to the position of the conductor determined by the inductive measuring coil device and from this the centricity of the conductor in the sheath is calculated. In this case the measuring coils of the measuring coil device are arranged in pairs or equally in relation to the optical measurement plane but are not traversed by the elongate object. The measurement object itself always remains outside the measuring coils. The pairwise arrangement of coils is used for differential measurement of the field strength, starting from the alternating current flowing in the conductor, which must be induced by means of an additional inductor of the measuring system in the conductor. Thus, the difference of the voltages induced in the coils is a measure of the eccentricity of the conductor in relation to the coil mirror axis. The coils are therefore not part of a resonant circuit which is damped by the copper. Furthermore, no further optical measuring system is provided.
WO2009150620A1 in turn describes an arrangement of sensors, which as a result of measurements of the outside diameter of a cable, the diameter of the metallic conductor lying inside the insulating sheath and optionally other externally detectable features allows an automatic or semi-automatic identification of the respective cable provided for processing, or at least the cable type. The various said sensors are functionally independent of one another, have no synergistic effects, have no jointly used elements or areas and therefore do not form a combination of measuring systems.